Robinson: “We Thoroughly Deserved The Win.”

10 August 2016

Manager Steve Robinson was delighted to record his first win as Oldham Athletic manager after progressing through to the second round of the EFL Cup.

His side beat Championship side Wigan Athletic in his first competitive game at SportsDirect.com Park as Latics progress through to the second round of this competition for the first time in eight years.

Ryan Flynn’s superb individual goal put Latics ahead early in the game before Will Grigg equalised for Wigan Athletic.

Jake Buxton saw red for a clumsy challenge on Marc Klok just before half time, and Latics won the game in the final 10 minutes.

After a sweeping Oldham Athletic move involving over 10 passes, Josh Law poked the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen to secure passage through to round two.

Speaking after the game, Robinson said: “It was a good win and we thoroughly deserved it as well.

“As well as the win, the performance was what I asked of the boys, we had a good work ethic and desire and we showed that in abundance tonight.

“I’ll say it again, it wasn’t the end of the world losing to Millwall. We’ve brought 18 new players into the club in the past four weeks ago and players need time to gel.

“It’s a great result financially for the club as well against a very good Wigan side but we are very much at the start of what we are trying to do.”

Whilst Flynn and Law take the plaudits for the goals, the manager praised the whole team including the substitutes who made a real difference.

“There were a lot of good performances tonight, I could go through all the team but that’s only the standards we have set but that has to remain now,” Robinson admitted.

“I know they are not going to play well every week but there is no excuse for not working hard every game.

"Ryan Flynn did that as well as the 12 or 13 players on the pitch tonight. We need a squad to compete. Lee Croft came on and did well, Ollie Banks came on and did well.

“You’re not going to do anything with 11 players, you need a bigger squad and man-to-man tonight they all did extremely well.”

The draw for the second round of the competition takes place after the conclusion of the Luton Town vs. Aston Villa clash and the manager has set his sights on a Premier League side.

He said: “Financially we’d like somebody big in the next round but we’d like to keep progressing.

“For the club, it is massive. We’re not a club with an abundance of money so it gives us a little boost and more to the point, it emphasises what we are trying to do with the boys.

“If you train with the boys and you don’t see success then there are doubts but the winning emphasises that we have a really good group of boys who have bought into what we want to do.”